How To Choose A Good Auto Repair Shop

For many people, it seems almost impossible to find a reliable auto repair shop. This is especially true if you’re looking for one after your car breaks down. Sadly, auto repair shops are famous for ripping people off. A few dishonest auto repair shops have been known to add on extra charges that were unnecessary. Sometimes, these dishonest shops even use inferior or used automotive parts, when the customer is paying for premium. When faced with these kinds of reputations, it’s no wonder that an honest auto repair shop seems like an impossibility.

However, nothing could be further from the truth. Though there are many honest auto repair shops, they never make the news. Only the dishonest ones do. Many auto repair shops are good, and sometimes even exceptional. So how do you go about finding the best New England auto repair shop? Read on, and all will be revealed.

Too many people wait until after a burst pipe, a flat tire, or a bad battery happens before finding an auto repair shop. This would be a mistake, as these problems need immediate fixing. When you are in this situation, you don’t have time to search out endless auto repair shops in Worcester Massachusetts. You don’t have time to ask a lot of people for word-of-mouth referrals or check a lot of websites. This could lead to you choosing the wrong auto repair shop.

One of the secrets to finding a good auto repair shop is to find it before you need it. If you wait until your car is actually making a noise or acting strangely, you’re going to make a hasty decision that you might regret later. When you have all the time in the world, (meaning you don’t have to have the car fixed today,) you also have all the power. You are able to drive around to several auto repair shops see which one you like the best.

If you have time before a problem starts, and you want to find an auto repair shop the old-fashioned way, word-of-mouth is still one of the best ways. Ask your friends, your neighbors, your coworkers and family members who they go to fix their car. Ask if they’re satisfied with their auto repair shop. People love being asked because it shows you value their opinion. They won’t mind talking to you at all.

It’s also a good idea to include Internet search as a vital part of your research. Today, an online reputation is everything. There are many review sites all over the Internet where you can check out various auto repair shops for free. The reviews on these sites are left by real people outlining their experiences with the shop both good and bad. As a general rule, when investigating anything online you should throw out the worst and the best review. Most often, the worst and the best review have some kind of emotional motive beyond just informing people of their experience. For example, the worst review could be a competitor, while the best review could be a family member or employee of the auto repair shop.

When searching for the right auto repair shop, you should search for answers to the three following questions:

How Does Their Website Look?

This is of course assuming they have a website. If they don’t, this is not an auto repair shop you want to visit. Clearly, a shop without a website is not up-to-date when it comes to computers. Therefore, they’re probably not up-to-date when it comes to their diagnostic and repair abilities either.

Once you find their website, look it over carefully. You’re not looking to see if the website looks ‘good’ as much as you are looking to see if it looks ‘loved’. Some websites are so woefully out of date with such little data, and are so hard to read that it’s clear the auto repair shop doesn’t care about it.

If the auto repair shop doesn’t care enough to get their website right, then they probably cut corners in other places too, like their actual auto repair. Though it’s true it can be difficult to see what makes a website ‘good’, it’s fairly easy to see if website a looks loved.

How Are Their Mechanics Trained?

Any auto repair shop with a good website will talk about their mechanics. For some sites, this could be having a profile on each individual, while other sites could mention how their mechanics as a whole are trained. You’re looking to see if their mechanics have won any sort of awards or special designations. You’re also looking to see if there mechanics have continuing education as part of their ongoing requirements. In many cases, you’re even looking for a license.

An auto repair shop who has mechanic that has all of these is clearly one that cares about its customer and professionalism. It’s also one that is the most up-to-date. Auto repairs are always changing, because cars are always changing. You want the most up-to-date mechanic and auto repair shop around.

How Many Negative Reviews Do They Have?

Thanks to the Internet, it’s easy to find negative reviews. All you have to do is type in the name of the auto repair shop with a negative word such as ‘scam’ or ‘rip-off’. It’s not terribly uncommon for any auto repair shop to have a few of these. Some people can just not be pleased. In some cases, the worst review might actually be from a competitor looking to discredit their biggest rival. However if the auto repair shop has more negative reviews than positive ones, avoid it at all costs.

Once you determine the answers to these three questions, you should give the auto repairshop a call or visit in person. Make sure you’re comfortable with their policies, their shop, their mechanics, and their procedures. A little research now, before your car is broken, can save you a lot of headaches, money and time later.

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What our customers say:

This is the only place I’ve ever brought my vehicles that I didn’t feel like I was being ripped off!! They always seem very busy but they still take the time to get every job done right. Congrats on a top notch, well run business.

Jason Nelson

I had a problem that needed immediate repairs. I engaged one auto repair shop who ripped me off. Did such a shoddy job that the problem seemed to be worse after their repairs. I had to demand a refund. Then I found 290 Autobody. They got the job done perfectly in under two hours! Justin, I am most impressed with your excellent service.

Ronald Grant

Professional, speedy and efficient is the very definition of what Justin and 290 offers. I am very glad I used them. Their customer service was first class and the job done was simply brilliant. I think 290 is a breath of fresh air in a market where most of these service centers will bend over backwards to see how much money they can squeeze out of you..

I just wanted to say a big thank you, Justin. You handled everything for me in a professional and timely manner. I was worried about the insurance claim but I needn’t have to. You even handled that too. I didn’t even need to lift a finger. If there was an award for best auto repair shop, I know who I’d vote for. I’m happy to recommend you and 290 Auto to everyone I know.

Lauren P. McClure

My colleague recommended your shop to me. He used your services a couple of months ago. He spoke very highly of you and I must say that after seeing the work you did on my car, I can understand now that he was not exaggerating one bit. You guys are streets ahead of your competition!

Brenda Wheeler

I got your express service for my SUV and I must say that I have never seen such an amazing job done in such a short space of time. The quality of the workmanship is superb. To be honest, I was half expecting you to call and say that you needed more time. So I was pleasantly surprised that you managed to complete the work perfectly and on time too.

Jonathan Smith

I have to admit 290 brought my baby BMW back to the way it was after a severe accident.’

George Daou

I was involved in a nasty accident a couple of weeks ago. Thank God I was unhurt but my car was a wreck. I brought it in to 290Autobody to fix it up. What an amazing job you guys did! It’s nothing short of a miracle. The last time my car looked this good was when I drove it home for the first time. LOL!

Nathan Hirsch

When you pick up your car and it looks like you just bought yesterday, you know it was worth it. Justin (the owner) is a car nut and the hardest working car guy I’ve seen in a while….It is one of the best ones I’ve found in Worcester.‎